With Him (Halo Fanfiction) ArbiterxOC
by Drawing-By-Day
Summary: When his homeworld is taken over by a threatening force, Hideshi is taken as a prisoner with Thel 'Vadam as his escort. The young man's innocence and respect the ones he meets shifts the Sangheili's attitude towards him...though to what extent he even is yet to comprehend...


**Yes! Finally I have submitted this work. I love the Halo series and I adore Thel Vadam, a.k.a. Arbiter, but I never have gotten around to making a fanfiction about the franchise before (perhaps for good reasons). Nevertheless, here is the beginning of hopefully something special or at least somewhat entertaining. To make it blunt, there will be a close relationship between the protagonist and Thel and there will not be that much of a well-developed plot in my opinion, but we will have to see.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The shrieks of winds outside failed to deter me whilst I dwelled in dreams I experienced. I was lost and alone in my mind. The sounds of doors slamming, voices I found somewhat familiar pleading for help all the while crying in agony. My vision was lacking; I only saw the occasional blur of colour and abstract shape. This was not a place I wanted to be.

They were all going to perish, and I knew it. I really wish I knew who "they" were though, seeing as this lack of knowledge was not helping me think clearly. I knew this was a dream, for I fell asleep last night after my family had been ordered by the soldiers to standby for further instruction.

This was such an odd moment.

I am so tired.

* * *

I woke up to the nudging of my mother, her distressed face giving me that unique sense of dread exclusive from her expressions. Filtered sunlight from the Shōji surrounding my room were visible. It was silent outside.

"早く起きなさい、秀士! (Get up now, Hideshi!)," she exclaimed, continuing to nudge me until I responded.

"What?" I said, the usual morning irritation building up within me.

"You have to get up now! There is something happening in Omara city. The authorities demanded us to evacuate to the nearest escape ships or bunkers. The ships are filling up fast! We must hurry."

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. "What do you mean? What is going on?"

"I don't know honestly," she replied. "There was a news report of mass murders in the central district. More information will be provided apparently, but for now, we have to hurry out of here."

"They are requesting to leave the planet?" I questioned incredulously. "Doesn't that seem a little drastic for just a collection of murders?"

The sound of aircraft passing above us was heard.

"I agree, but we are taking no chances." She walked to the side of my bed and picked up the photograph of my father, her, and a toddler me, smiling slightly. "Pack away the most important things," she instructed, placing the photograph back down somewhat hesitantly. "We are leaving in ten minutes."

I stood up, a sense of vertigo causing myself to feel dizzy and out of place. After my head cleared, I swiftly changed into suitable clothes and began selecting the most useful, important items to carry with me, deciding the photograph was worthy of this description. A sensation of fear, anxiousness, and dread grew in my stomach.

* * *

We lived on the planet Insula, categorised as part of the outer colonies. The world was relatively new, being established only a few decades ago. Nonetheless, a certain growth in society was evident. I was Hideshi Mori, and in spite of my name, I happened to be half "Japanese", thanks to my father, whilst my mother being "American", though these origin labels were obsolete the moment humanity began colonising other planets. Regardless, I still held value in these nationality titles. My grandparents on my father's side when they were alive always used to remind me how "un-japanese" I looked – "あまり日本人のようじゃないよね。" With brown hair and hazel eyes, I somewhat understood what they meant.

I was born 18 years ago, my father only being present for five of those years. After that, it has just been my mother and I. Though we loved each other's company very dearly, he was the one that apparently brought us all together as one, quoted from my mum. I wish I could have gotten to know him better.

* * *

I checked twice over my chosen belongings to take with me, hoping I had everything that could assist should the time come. With a final nod, I put my bag on my back and notified mum.

"Good, you are ready," she said without eye contact, half distracted by her own packing. "Ironically, it seems I am the one the requires scolding for my lack of efficiency." She chuckled softly.

"Well, I guess I can add this to my list of bragging right, huh?" I responded smiling. "Here, let me help you."

After a few minutes of silent packing and organising, with the occasional sighs form both of us knowing we will be leaving behind many memories, walked towards the entrance of our home. After putting our shoes on, we left the house, muttering small prayers of safety to us and our planet. The filtered sunlight remaining inside.

Outside, neat collections of trees and vegetation existed, oblivious to the apparent danger present on our planet. With both of our luggage on us, we walked outside the borders of our residence.

The initial sight of crowds running all at once one way in our street was alarming to say the least. I looked to the sky and saw the bright morning sun against the colours of the sunrise. Those peaceful colours juxtaposed with the situation we currently thrived in.

"These people are so scared," Mum said with a tone of sadness, barely being audible over the yells and cries from the crowds. "Quick, we must hurry as well. Stay close." She grabbed my hand and we merged into the river of people running.

* * *

After a few hours of walking, the sounds of distressed voices and scared children remaining constant, we reached a "checkpoint" as called by the military officers standing guard, holding their semi-automatic weapons close. A huge gate inhibited our progression towards our destination, with a tall platform to the side overlooking the crowd we contributed with.

"Everyone remain calm," a man in a white uniformed laced with occasional silver strips requestion via loudspeaker. As if controlled by a master volume control, everyone quietened.

The sound wind and the occasional muffled sound of what seemed like explosions were audible hundreds of kilometres behind us.

"Good," he continued. "Calmness and a keen sense of urgency are essential during these times of elevated stress and potential danger."

He looked among the crowd, seeing the fearful expression etched in those unfortunate faces. He frowned slightly.

"This checkpoint is one of three before we reach the emergency escape bay. With this in mind, both the proposed escape bay and alternative bunker are approximately 120km North East from here. While I ensure you the UNSC staff are giving their absolute efforts to minimalize danger to Insula's civilians, we are facing a very foreign threat and would request all to be cautious…"

"What is this " _foreign threat_ "?" I asked mum, the dread in my stomach increasing. She only responded with a look of uncertainty and an equal expression of dread. She continued to hold my hand.

"We are to move in an orderly fashion," the officer continued. "Please keep your faith high in our safety and soon enough we will be." His expression seemed like one that wished to provide more details on the issue, but decided against it, walking away.

After a few moments and complete stillness, a loud droning sound could be heard, following with the opening of the large gate.

As if a volume control had been altered again, sounds of people hurriedly moving along with loud talking, yelling, and the infrequent crying was heard.

"What is this threat?" I asked again to Mum. She turned again to me, about to answer before being interrupted.

"I heard people say there are these huge purple starships with these fucking creatures coming out of them!" A man exclaimed to us. "They apparently began killing person after person with seemingly no reason as to why."

"Creatures?" Mum repeated, gripping my hand tighter. "Like animals?"

"Like I would know…" he replied, beginning to move past us. "I am just as confused as anyone."

After he moved out of earshot from us, other distressed people taking his place, I looked to my mother. We gave mutual looks of pure disbelief, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"Don't worry," I reassured, smiling, hearing what seemed to be aircraft above us. Probably the UNSC giving supplies and such. "We will get through this. Of course we will."

My words seemed to encourage her a little, resulting in a returned smile.

I was about to continue with my encouragements when a blood-curdling scream evaporated my words. The horrifying scream was then followed with a chorus of yells and shouts. People then began running, pushing and shoving. The world suddenly felt darker and more dangerous.

We began running as well, blindly attempting to escape whatever threat seemed to appear. That is when I looked up and saw the massive purple alien ship above me. It must have been at least a kilometre in length, floating high up in the sky.

"My God," I said under my breath in awe. Foolishly looking above me for too long, I inevitably missed a step and fell to the hard rocky floor. My grip with my mum's hand broke, forcing her to move along with the tide of people. I was consistently step on and kicked for obstructing other's pathway. It felt painful, my head been kicked a few times and my fingers somewhat crushed by the feet of others.

After a few seconds of defeat, I decided to use my body strength to return upright and ran for my mum.

She was impossible to spot with the horde of people surround me, all frantically attempting to escape the still vague threat which endangered our position.

At once, I saw them. These…creatures…'aliens', I guess, shooting the civilians surrounding me. They were so tall in comparison to us. But what alarmed me the most was their face: lacking a jaw and replaced by four mandible-like systems. Other, smaller creatures surrounded them , shooting aimlessly and seemed less-fit for combat.

Without another thought about them, I set my determination to find my mum. She was to be somewhere I swear. I continued to search through the crowds. It seemed it was far less chaotic that it had been five minutes ago. I then came to the realisation that there were less people running now, most motionless on the floor. My stomach ached from nervousness and disgust, but I persevered.

I ran as fast as I could go, my eyes darting in any possible direction.

"HIDESHI!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. I turned and saw Mum running towards me, tears in her eyes. She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I felt an immense wave of relief and gain a new source of motivation to get out of this bloodbath.

"WE…NEED TO ESCAPE AND…HIDE," I gasped, out of breath. She nodded in response.

We continued to run, but we still heard the cries of agony people produced. It was as if my dream from earlier was being replicated.

A language which I never heard before was being spoken by the aliens who were busy murdering helpless individuals. They were so determined to end these human's lives, with not a hint of remorse in their actions. Why here in Insula? An outer colony planet with no over-abundance of favourable resources or anything else of the sort. What were the purpose of these aliens desire to kill?

One of the taller creatures decided to target us, running towards us at inhuman speeds…needless to say. I knew we had no chance of outrunning him, so I chose to go towards a pathway of bravery and honour: I let go of my mother's hand, to her surprise, and faced the creature directly.

He towered me by a couple of feet, staring at me with a clearly bewildered expression, despite my unfamiliarity with their facial anatomy. He swiftly activated a large glowing weapon, composed of what appeared to be ionised gas: like energy. He then looked at my hands, seeming to notice my lack of weapon, and my lack in height, seeming to be indecisive about something. Unexpectedly, he shook his head and pushed me strongly off my feet to the side.

It seemed facing him in a direct battle rather that running away in fear inhibited his usual senseless killing. I remained dazed for a few moments, before looking ahead for him and seeing my mum still running.

And the tall, agile alien catching up with her.

I stood to my feet, my back aching like hell. I began to run as fast as possible, trying to yell and demand a challenge from the alien again, but my legs were out of energy. My body was failing to keep up with my mind and I tried to cry out for my mum.

But…of course…it was too late.

* * *

When the energy weapon effortlessly went through my mother's torso, I screamed and cried in pure sadness and rage. My mum did not have time to retaliate or resist, instead her sliced body falling to the ground in a pool of blood. Dead in a matter of seconds.

I wanted to go up to that thing and hurt him and destroy him, but I knew he was far more superior in terms of strength, thus said actions would be futile. Instead, I dreamed only to be killed as well, for I did not want to live on if all my family was gone. I did not want to live at that moment anymore.

Suddenly, a bright flash surrounded me, and the feeling of immense heat draped over my body. I felt myself be pushed back by immense force and I then I fell. The sensation of something hard hit the back of my head and then nothing.

* * *

I woke up in a corner of an isolated store with various food and convenient items on display. My head spun, and my vision sometimes was out of focus. Notwithstanding to this, I could still feel my body, thus also feeling the pain. It was a raging, bubbling fire of pain flowing throughout my body. It was almost sickly.

I looked above me to see a hole relatively my size imprinted in the ceiling and roof of the small store. I must have been in close proximity to an explosion, hence why I appear to be here now. Though the floor under me felt like a collection of cushions and plush toys, hence why I could remain alive after the explosion.

Though, what happened before it. I felt an emptiness in my heart, like I just lost something, but I couldn't appear to recall what.

I heard shuffling near the entrance of the store, the sound of that foreign, strange language again. Strong footsteps moved closer to my position and I froze. It seemed as if the incident which occur before between us and them was a failure for humans. We lost.

The footsteps became stronger and more audible with each step. The fear in me lead my eyes to instinctively close tightly and attempt to curl my feet and hands close to my chest.

The footsteps became their loudest until they abruptly stop. I froze even more, if possible, and opened my eyes to see one of those four mandible things standing before me, well over 7 feet tall. He held a weapon, aiming it towards me directly. I shuddered in near complete fright.

"Human," the creature announced in a deep, mature voice, his mandibles moving as he spoke. "You are to be taken as a prisoner of the Covenant and to be take to her grace, High Charity for study and interrogation. Any form of resistance will result in your immediate termination." His mastery of English perplexed me immensely, confused to how they know a human language so fluently.

"I would recommend you comply. I would not test the patience of a Sangheili, Human. Do you understand?"

"Sangheili?" I thought to myself. It must be the name of his species, my guess is. Slightly harder to pronounce, unlike the word 'human'.

I nodded and he signalled me to stand. He immediately placed hand-cuff-like objects around me hands, consolidating my imprisonment.

He then lifted his aim off me and seemed to relax when convinced I was not going to fight back.

I stepped outside of the store with him, the now afternoon sunlight radiating across the dead environment around me. Such a sight caused me to shudder. Moreover, the sunlight reflected off the Sangheili's amour towards me, hurting my eyes. He noticed this and stared at me for a few moments before continuing towards a smaller, yet still large purple ship which was waiting for us.

I looked around me and saw all the dead bodies which littered the barren floor. It was as if this "Covenant" sucked all the life from Insula. A complex, mechanical process occurred with the ship's central exterior frame, creating an opening which allowed both of us to walk through. I looked hesitantly back at the Sangheili. He gave me a slightly confused expression, followed by shoving me a little to continue boarding it.

I wondered if others were capture like me. Was I the only one to be captured? Was I the first one ever? What unforeseeable consequences would take place with me not resisting to this Sangheili.

This was such an odd moment.

I am so tired.

* * *

 **Wow...That was exhilarating to write. I do apologise if my writing caused you to skim over some lines of text, or even skip sections. Nevertheless, thank you so much for taking your time to read it. I really wonder how this will turn out, but for the meantime just be certain I will EVENTUALLY post the next chapter of potentially equal length.**

 **Thank you once again.**

 **Bye now!**


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